On November 19, 2024, the southern Arizona city of Bisbee was certified as an International Dark Sky Community by Dark Sky International. This is a culmination of a 6-year effort by a dedicated group of volunteers who partnered with the city of Bisbee to achieve this status.
“Bisbee is a unique town both historically and geographically, and the dark sky advocates of the city embrace both qualities in their efforts to achieve this certification,” said DarkSky International Program Associate Michael Rymer. “The Bisbee Dark Skies advocacy group has done a lot to promote dark sky policy and education, and it’s exciting to look forward to their progress in the coming years.”
The city of Bisbee is located in Cochise County in the southwest corner of Arizona, just 5 miles north of the international border with Mexico. It was originally settled by miners after a chance discovery of rich mineral deposits of copper, silver, and gold in 1877. By 1900, Bisbee’s population exploded to over 20,000 and was incorporated as a statutory city in 1902. Because of its rich mineral deposits, Bisbee became one of the wealthiest cities west of St. Louis. Much of the city’s infrastructure was constructed during this period.
Bisbee remained an active mining community until the mid-1970s. When the mine closed, a tremendous shift occurred in the local population. The mine employees and their families left to pursue work elsewhere, and an influx of creative free spirits followed. They found Bisbee’s historic district to be an attractive, inspiring, and inexpensive location to settle and pursue their artistic endeavors.
Today Bisbee is a culturally rich community of 4,972 residents who treasure its history and resist the development that has changed so many of our larger cities, such as a plethora of fast food restaurants or big-box stores. Its Planning Commission and Design Review Board work hard to keep it that way. When a group of motivated residents proposed the concept of becoming an International Dark Sky Community, the Bisbee City Council, the Planning Commission, and the Design Review Board endorsed it unanimously.
Bisbee Dark Skies has broad support from the local population. One long-time resident, Cathy Clark, said, “This designation is fantastic! Now we can keep what we have.”